Registering and canceling ballot-box



(No Model.) 2 'sheets-sheet 1.

E. H. TOWNB.

REGISTBRING AND GANGELING BALLOT BOX.

Pateted Jan. 3, 1893.

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E. H. TOWNE. i

REGISTERING AND GANCELING BALLOT BOX. i No. 489,169. Patented Jam. 3,1893.

c7 /g Zg f UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

ENOCI-I Il. TOVNE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGISTERING AND CANCELING BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,169, dated January3, 1893.

Application led April 28, 1892. Serial No. 430,967. (No model.)

To all tlf/tom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ENOOH H. TOWNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of W'orcester and StateofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Registering and CancelingBallot- Box, of which the following, together with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification sufticiently full, clear, and exact toenable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains tomake and use the same.

The object of my present invention is to afford a simple, efiicient andeconomical instrument or means adapted for use at voting precincts, forreceiving, canceling and regis` tering ballots, more especially tofacilitate voting by the secret or Australian ballot system; and toprovide therein mechanism of such organization and construction that itcan be conveniently operated by an unskilled person and also not liableto become deranged or get ont of order by careless, rough or ignorantmanipulation or usage. These ob.) ect-s I attain by mechanism such ashereinafter defined, or organized substantially as illustrated in thedrawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of my ballot-box, some of theparts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of some of theoperating parts shown separate from the case or frame. Fig. 3 is avertical section at line cr cc showing the movable top drawn back, andthe swinging bed in position for receiving the ballot, and Fig. t is avertical section [part at line w w and part at the front of theregister] showing the movable top at its forward position, and with thebed dropped.

The several parts of my ballot-box mechanism are as followsz-A denotesthe case or receptacle which can be of any suitable form or size.

B indicates a ballot-receiving bed or drop table having a hingingsupport or horizontally pivotal axis at b on which it can swing downwardat one edge, or be raised into horizontal position. Suitable dogs orspring pressed latches CZ are provided for retaining the front edge ofthe bed when in normal position. Said latches can be disposed as shownto engage the corners of the bed, or in other relation to effect similarresult.

, C indicates a movable top or cover mounted to run back and forth onsuitable guides ct a, and to travel from the position shownin Fig. 3 tothat shown in Fig. 4, and serving as a means for operating the mechanismand for alternately covering and revealing the ballotbed as desired. Ahand piece cis fixed on the top C to facilitate the convenient movementthereof back and forth by the operator.

D indicates an arm or means connected with the swinging bed B, wherebysaid bed is brought into horizontal position by the backward movement ofthe top C. The top or cover has a cam surface 3 on its under side withwhich the arm D engages, and it is also properly recessed to allow thearm to swing up when the top is at forward position. [See Fig. 4.]

Suitable means are provided for disengaging the dogs orlatches d bytheforward action of the movable top; in the present' instance consistingof a rod attached to the latch and having a lug h thereon that isengaged by a detent t' fixed in the under side of the top C at suchposition that the detent strikes the lug 7i, and forces off the latchwhen the top is advanced to its forward position.

F indicates a printing wheel or canceling device, and G a roll forinking the same mounted in aswingframef that is fulcrumed and carriedwithin the'movable top as shown. Said wheel is adapted for traversingover the ballot as it lies upon the bed. A suitable spring e can becombined with the canceler frame for pressing the wheel down upon thesurface to be marked; or the gravity of the rolls may in some instancesbe sufiicient for such purpose. When at rear position the cancelingrolls are held up by engagement of the devices with the stationarysupplemental top piece a.

Preferably two canceling rolls with their supporting and inking devicesare employed, arranged as indicated in Fig. l, sothat in case shortballots are at any time used either one or the other of said rolls willbe sure to mark the ballot. The apparatus may, however, be provided withone or more canceling devices as in any instance desired, theconstruction of each being substantially the same as that illustrated.

J indicates a reciprocating slide or part mounted on the cross frame A2and having a cam surface or inclined slot J that engages with adepending arm I fixed to or mounted on the movable top C, said arm beingbest provided with a roll I that runs in said slot, and by means ofwhich the slide J is given lateral reciprocative movement in conjunctionwith the top C as it is moved back and forth.

K indicates a counting register of well known kind arranged to beobserved through a glazed opening in the side of the case, and havingits pawl bar connected with the slide J by a rod K so that movement ofthe slide operates the register mechanism.

L indicates a bell the striker Z of which is worked by a suitable detentm on the slide J, or some equivalent moving part to effect a stroke asthe top C is moved to its forward position.

Border pieces t and are arranged about the ballot-bed B affordingsuiiicient depth to insure of the top C passing over the ballot withoutinterfering` with it. The rear and end borders 4 are best attached tothe bed and the front border 5 to the frame or casing as indicated. Toprevent the ballots adhering to the surface of the bed detents orlifters n n are provided which preferably consist of small springs orbars let into the surface of the bed and extending transversely thereto,their ends passing down through openings and projecting beneath the bedin such manner that when the bed swings downward the lower ends of thelifters come in contact with the bar or stationary part N, therebycausing them to be pressed upward from the top surface of the bed forlifting the ballot and permitting air to enter between it and the bedsurface so it will slide down into the containing chamber. The lifters nmay in some instances be omitted if preferred.

The operation is as followsr-The box is presumed to be closed; or withthe top in position as in Fig. 4. When a voter approaches the warden orattendant draws back the top C to the rearward position, as in Fig. 3;this elevates the bed B to horizontal position where its front edge iscaught and retained by the latches d, at the same time the slide J ismoved to the right hand limit of its action, as in Fig. 2, drawing backthe register pawls. The voter then lays his ballot [folded with thenames or marked face inward] upon the bed B, and

the attendant immediately slides forward the movable top C to cover thebed and ballot. This movement causes the printing wheels F to traverseacross the upper surface of the ballot printing thereon the name of thecity or town and numbers of the ward and precinct where the voting takesplace, or such other canceling mark as may in any case be preferred;asthe top C reachesits forwardlimit the engagement of the detents 7L andcauses thelatches or dogs (Z to be thrown off releasing the front edgeof the bed and allowing it to drop to the position indicated in Fi get,thereby depositing the ballot within the chamber of the box. Thisforward movement of the top C also carries the arm I or its roll Iforward in the cam seat of the slide J and thus produces a reciprocativeaction of said slide J and thereby, through the rod K and pawls, movesthe registering counter one step forward; and also through the action ofthe .detent m rings the bell L one stroke. Then as another voterapproaches the movable top is again drawn back and the operation isrepeated.

I claim as my invention herein to be secured by Letters Patent,

l. A ballot-box provided with a downwardly swinging ballot-receivingbed, and a movable top or slide adapted for alternately concealing andrevealing said bed, in combination with means substantially asdescribed,where by said bed is caused to drop when said top is movedover it to its forward position, and said bed again brought intohorizontal position by retraction of said cover, for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination, in a ballot-box., of the swinging ballot-receivingbed pivotally supported at one edge, latch devices that retain itsopposite edge when elevated, the movable top adapted to slide over andfrom said bed, a canceling wheel or marker carried by said movable top,throw-olf detents that release said latches and bed as the movable topapproaches its forward limit of action, and an arm or means forreturning said bed to horizontal position with the refractive action ofsaid movable top, substantially as set forth.

3. In a ballot-box, the combination, of the swinging ballot-receivingbed, the movable top or cover for alternately concealing and revealingthe same, the counting register, the register-actuating slide having anincline slot or cam, and the lug or arm fixed to said cover and engagingsaid incline, substantially as described, for etfectin g movementthereof simultaneously with the movement of said cover, for the purposeset forth.

4. In a ballot-box, the combination, of the swinging ballot-receivingbed, the movable top, means substantially as described for releasing and11e-adjusting said ballot-bed, the counting register and theregister-actuating connections controlled by said movable top,substantially as set forth, whereby said bed and counting register areoperated by the forward and backward movement of said top.

5. The combination, substantially as described,of the ballot-bed, themovable top arranged to slide over and from said bed, and the cancelingwheel with its inking roll mounted on a swing-frame that is pivotedwithin said movable top, said wheel adapted to roll upon said bed whenthe top is moved forward, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a ballot-box, the combination of the receiving bed hinged orpivotally attached to swing downward within the case, latching devicesfor retaining said bed, the movable top sliding over and from said bed,its supporting guides, the canceling markers, the counting IOO IIO

register, the actuating mechanism of said register controlled from saidsliding top, and the latch-releasing detents all organized substantiallyas described whereby forward movement of said top koperates theregistering counter, the bedreleasing latches and canceling marker, forthe purposes set forth.

7. In a registering ballot-box, the combination, of the top or covermounted on guides to move forward and backward for alternatelyconcealing and revealing theballot-receiving space,the reciprocatingslide having the cam or slot, an arm attached to said movable top andengaging said slot, the count-register having its paWl-bar connected foroperation to said slide by rod K', the bell L and the bellstrikingdetent carried on said slide, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 26th day of April, A. D. 1892.

ENOCH H. TOWNE. Witnesses:

ELLA P. BLENUS, WM. S. BARTON.

